HP tackles the rise in lower-volume work with its Latex 300 series and new Designjet Z-series production printers. The latest entries in HP's large-format arsenal are unveiled in Sydney today, with a 50% boost in efficiency in the Z-series and 64-inch Latex 360 nearly tripling print times and cutting turnarounds in half.
HP cans its popular Latex 260 model, picking up on greater market segmentation with its new third-generation Latex 300 series. Launched to the local market, the new portfolio targets printers expanding their signage offering with lower-volume demand, replacing the Latex 260 with three incremental new models. According to Jeremy Brew, application specialist sign and display, HP, the new offering caters to the larger numbers of small-to-medium printers and signage shops transitioning from solvent inks.
"The Latex 360 effectively replaces Latex 260, with the new Latex optimiser more than doubling its speeds. But before the 260 used to service the whole market, from small sign shops and printers up to the medium run printers. The addition of the Latex 310 and the 330 in the 300 series really meets the customers where they are," says Brew.
The new series offers a complete portfolio for the low-volume market, starting with the entry-level 54-inch Latex 310. Next up the chain is the 64-inch Latex 330, tackling heavier rolls up to 42 kg and printing up to 50 square-metres per hour. The Latex 360 is also 64-inch but increases application versatility with an ink collector for porous textiles. Speed is also maxed with the Latex 360, running up to 91 square-metres per hour.
According to Jeff de Kleijn, director and general manager, sign and display, HP Asia Pacific and Japan, this new range meets the needs of modern print businesses seeking to grow their offering.
"Small to medium printing companies face the challenge of simultaneously addressing more applications to reach more customers while reducing costs and fitting in smaller spaces. Backed by proven HP Latex technology, the new HP Latex 300 printer series addresses these needs with durable quality and easy operation, helping customers break application boundaries and establish a competitive advantage," said Kleijn.
US-based displays specialists, All Star Signs have transitioned over from solvents with the HP Latex 360, and owner George Beitner is impressed with the impact the technology has made on his business efficiencies.
"Since installing the HP Latex 360 printer, not only are we able to print three times faster than with our solvent device, we also decreased project turnaround time from one to two days to 24 hours. This difference alone has dramatically impacted how we do business," said Beitner.
Alongside the 300 range, HP's Designjet Z-series pumps up print speeds by as much as 50% with the new Z6600 production printer and Z6800 photo production printer. The Z-series is also designed to deliver high-value indoor applications. The Designjet Z6600 boasts significantly improved consumable efficiency, using up to 30% less ink.